A - Z of Soul Classics
|
Please click on
|
It would be very easy to dismiss this offering as just another budget compilation of tired standards because there's very little on it that hasn't been released dozens of times already. To do so however would be to miss the point entirely. This CD is not significant for the tracks it contains, but for the company it keeps. I didn't buy this album in a CD shop, but in a trendy bookshop situated in one of England's historic villages. Like most such arty-farty places it stocked only a limited number of CD's, and those that it did were of the highbrow variety, Classical, Opera and Jazz. Outside these three genres this was the only other compilation in the shop and was manufactured by the same people who specialise in these types of music. The soul fraternity has always considered its music to have genuine artistic merit, but the masses at large have usually regarded it as 'popular' culture. This CD is the first step towards soul receiving a much more general credibility. The sleeve notes, such as they are, reflect this by thanking 'The Museum of Old Masters' for permission to reproduce their sound recordings. When I first looked at the track listing (40 entries), I found about ten titles I did not know but on playing them I discovered that they were mostly familiar, it was just their names I had not recognised. The two exceptions were George Benson's 'The Masquerade Is Over' and Joe Tex's 'Come On In This House'. The compilers have tried to cover every facet of soul music which illustrates the wide diversity which exists within it. Gentle Ballads, Heavy Funk, Crossover Pop, Disco soul, Soulful Jazz and Blues are all included. Having said that, I'm not so sure that they have not taken their categorisation a little too far. The George Benson Track would probably be more at home on a Jazz compilation whilst the two offerings from 'The Douglas Quintet' would fall more comfortably into the 'Blues' category. On checking this group out in 'The Virgin Encyclopaedia of R&B and Soul' I could find no mention of them which would also imply that they are not generally regarded as soul artists. None the less, forgiving this album its rather eccentric classifications it does contain some fabulous music albeit that most of it is readily available elsewhere. The significance of this compilation however cannot be overstated. It represents a general recognition that soul is more than teenage disco music or facile pap to entertain the feeble minded. Why it should be so I'm not really sure, but all the tracks sounded much cruder on this recording than the polished counterparts which were first released. It does give the album a historical feel and leaves the listener conscious that they are hearing songs which have been salvaged from the mists of time. My favourite songs included 'Hit the Road Jack' by Ray Charles and Dee Clark's rendition of 'Dock of the Bay'. Track Listing:- Side A Rainy Night In Georgia - Brook Benton The Masquerade Is Over - George Benson The Letter - The Boxtops Cry Like A Baby - The Boxtops Sex Machine - James Brown It's A Man's Man's Man's World - James Brown For Your Precious Love - Jerry Butler Patches - Clarence Carter Hit The Road Jack - Ray Charles What'd I Say - Ray Charles Dock Of The Bay - Dee Clark Under The Broadwalk - Drifters This Magic Moment - The Drifters Save The Last Dance For Me - The Drifters Knock On Wood - Eddie Floyd Hold On I'm coming - Sam & Dave Soul Man - Sam & Dave I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor Reach Out, I'll Be There - Gloria Gaynor Nice And Slow - Jesse Green Side B Shake Yo Booty - Etta James Every Beat Of My Heart - Gladys Knight Ain't No Sunshine - Al Jarreau Lean On Me - Al Jarreau New Orleans - Dr. John Somewhere Over The Rainbow - Ohio Players Car Wash - Rose Royce When A Man Loves A Woman - Percy Sledge Warm And Tender Love - Percy Sledge Frankie - Sister Sledge We Are Family - Sister Sledge She's A Mover - Sir Douglas Quintet Mendocino - Sir Douglas Quintet Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel - Tavares Come On In This House - Joe Tex Walkin' The Dog - Rufus Thomas Do The Funky Chicken - Rufus Thomas Nutbush City Limits - Ike & Tina Turner River Deep, Mountain High - Ike & Tina Turner My Guy - Mary Wells |
|
Why Not visit the Authors other Website, 'The Alternative Blackpool Website' at http://www.localdial.com/users/jsyedu133/bpool This Site Last Updated 18/05/05
|
the category you wish to choose from the options
below
